Kano anti-graft agency slams Sanusi with suspension over fraud

Kano anti-graft agency slams Sanusi with suspension over fraud

It looks like the Kano State governor is not yet done with the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi as a few weeks after he created more emirates to whittle

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It looks like the Kano State governor is not yet done with the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi as a few weeks after he created more emirates to whittle down the emir’s influence, the emir is now going to be suspended by the state’s anti-graft agency.

A statement signed by chairman of the anti-graft agency, Muhuyi Magagi accused the embattled Sanusi of misappropriating N3.4billion between 2014 and 2017. While the agency reopened investigation into alleged fraud in the emir council, key figures in the council including close aide to emir Sanusi invited, the anti-graft had indicted the emir.

As postulated in the document “preliminary report of investigation”, emir Sanusi is being embroiled in four cardinal issues bordering on indictments, amount involved, obstruction of investigation and recommendations. In the report, it said the Kano Emirate Council had spent over N1.4 billion in various expenditures believed to be fraudulent and unappropriated.

“In addition, the Emirate Council was alleged to have spent over N1.9 billion unappropriated on seemingly personal expenditures, making the total sum of the questionable expenditures. This expenditures contravened the provisions of Section 120 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 8 of the Kano State Emirate Council Special Fund Law 2004”.

“Similarly, the expenditures had also violated Section 314 of Penal Code as well as provisions of Section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).

The commission also accused emir Sanusi of obstructing her investigation, an act they considered an affront to the success of her investigation.
“It is also the opinion of this Commission, based on the available evidence, that Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II continued to undermine the investigation through various means which include giving instruction to all officers invited for clarification to shun the commission’s invitation.

“The act is seriously affecting the process of our statutory responsibility and offends the provisions of Section 25 of the Commission’s enabling Law 2008 (as amended). We therefore, recommend that the principal suspect in the person of Muhammadu Sanusi II and all other suspects connected with the case be suspended, pending the final outcome of the investigations. This is a necessary administrative disciplinary action aimed at preventing the suspects from further interfering with the commission’s investigations”.

The report further recommended that appropriate authority should be put in place to oversee the affairs of the Emirate Council in line with established statutes and policies, pending the final outcome of the commission’s investigations.